problem with comptuers not able to see eachother on network

I inherited a strange issue from a friend where the computers are connecting to a really basic file share on a computer acting as a server. The computer is running windows server but is not part of a domain. All of the workstations are not part of the domain either. Some of the pcs can connect to the shares via ip address 192.168.10.10 however some can connect via name \\pebserver. Yet further some can connect by both. i think there is aproblem as when I configure the workstation to receive an address via dhcp I get

Is it me or should the ip address of 192.168.1.X not match 192.168.10.X in terms of being in the same ip range

The computer I am connecting to is a windows 2003 server that is not part of a domain, none of the workstations are part of the domain either. I have added a user account user2 to the server and workstation and with the same password. I can see the shares and access them via ip address by going 192.168.10.10 in my windows explorer but can't access by computer name

Why are the computers not part of the domain or same workgroup? Is it possible to add them to the group so at least they can talk to each other a bit easier? Anyway you can try one workstation and the file server and see if it helps?

IP addresses 192.168.1.x and 192.168.10.x are in the subnet, defined by SUBNET MASK, which in your case is 255.255.0.0. This subnet mask covers all IP addresses in range 192.168.x.x

Why your clients cannot access shares by name or IP?
Most probably the reason is in DNS server. I see it's pointing DNS to 192.168.10.254, which is your ROUTER, not the server!
I suggest you change:
- configure DHCP to deliver the following IP as PRIMARY DNS server to clients: 192.168.10.10 (which is your SERVER, right?), and as secondary DNS you may enter either your router's IP, or your ISP's public DNS
- then setup DNS server role on your server, set it up to work with DHCP, and configure FORWARDERS. As forwarder DNS you may enter either your router's IP, or your ISP public DNS servers
- check it up that your new DNS server has A-records for itself (SERVERNAME pointing to 192.168.10.10)
- you may run IPCONFIG /FLUSHDNS on server and clients to clear DNS cache

So, when your client will try to access \\SERVERNAME, it will first go to client's internal DNS cache to lookup IP for SERVERNAME. Since we cleared cache, it will go next step, to WINS resolver. If WINS is setup (under DHCP) to point to 192.168.10.10, then name is resolved.
If not, it will go to DNS server, configured on client NIC adapter. Since you changed DHCP settings to deliver your SERVER's IP as DNS, client's query will go t0 192.168.10.10 and ask:
"Hey 192.168.10.10, do you know on which IP is SERVERNAME located?"
And 192.168.10.10 will lookup into its own DNS A-records, and will answer:
"Yes, I know. SERVERNAME is located on IP 192.168.10.10"
this response will then travel back to client and redirect to proper IP.

the other part:
If your client is having problems accessing server via IP, then check on client:
- is client a member of the same WORKGROUP as server?
- does client have "File and Printer Sharing" enabled under LAN connection properties?
- does client get TCP/IP settings from DHCP? If not, meaning it is static IP, make sure it has subnet mask entered properly, that is 255.255.0.0
- check under FIRWALL if "windows Networking" aka ports 139 and 445 are opened for local network AND LOCAL SUBNET 255.255.0.0

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